Eastern Region MRT Line
The Eastern Region Line (ERL) will be the seventh Mass Rapid Transit line in Singapore. The construction schedule was announced in 2008 with completion set for 2020."MRT network length to double by 2020; two new lines to be built", Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia, 25 January 2008 The whole line will be completely underground. It is under planning and evaluation. The completion dates for the ERL are set as follows: *2021: Outram Park - Gardens by the Bay *2022: Gardens by the Bay - Bayshore *2023: Bayshore - Bedok Junction *2024: Bedok Junction - Chiau Au The Eastern Region Line will begin from Marina Bay, through residential estates of Tanjong Rhu, Marine Parade, Siglap, Bedok South and Upper East Coast, and link them to Changi in the east. It will also connect to the future Thomson Line. History The Eastern Region Line was first officially announced on 18 October 2001. In its preliminary plans, Eastern Region Line was to have been a 40 kilometre rectangular loop that would complement the existing East West Line and enhance inter- and intra-town travelling in the eastern region. It would have looped around the Jalan Besar and East Coast areas, intersecting the Circle Line and other lines along the way, benefiting residents in Tampines, Bedok, Marine Parade, MacPherson and Kaki Bukit. However, the northern part of the loop such as Jalan Besar, Tampines, MacPherson and Kaki Bukit is now part of the Stage 3 of the Downtown Line. The ERL is now planned to closely follow the southern stretch of the originally announced plan. On 11 July 2012, a speech by Mrs Josephine Teo and Poh Shyn Wui, Minister of State, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Transport, at Downtown Line 3 (DTL3) Tunelling Works Ceremony, announced that the Land Transport Authority (LTA) are starting architectural and engineering consultancy studies for the Eastern Region Line, which will eventually connect to the Thomson Line. On 29 May 2013, Land Transport Authority director of rail services, Melvyn Thong said at the Modern Railways conference, there are plans to extend ERL and link to the future Singapore Changi Airport's Terminal 4 which is set to be ready by 2017. but on 1 June 2013, LTA clarified that ERL will not provide an MRT link to the planned Terminal 4. Instead on 30 August 2013, Josephine Teo unveiled plans it will be linked to the Changi Airport Terminal 5. On 15 August 2014, the stretch from Outram Park all the way to Bedok Junction was announced. On 21 July 2016, the groundbreaking ceremony for the East Coast stretch took place at Marine Parade. The authorities are also considering plans to extend the line to Changi Village, as well as Chiau Au. The LTA has announced that studies are ongoing for the possibility of extending the TEL from Sungei Bedok to either serve Changi Airport Terminal 5 directly or via Changi Airport MRT station, terminating at Changi Village. On 25 May 2019, it was confirmed that it will be extended to Changi Airport Terminal 5 and Changi Airport. The stretch of rail network between Tanah Merah and Changi Airport on the East West Line will be converted to form part of the TEL extension. Depot The depot will be based at Changi South Depot, with an extra pool for trains. Trains will head towards Orchard and turn around at the Orchard Turnback Siding (TBS). The trains will be C527 which will be from Kawasaki Heavy Industries. Stations *Outram Park *Maxwell *Asia Square *Marina Bay *Marina South *Gardens by the Bay *Marina East (Future) *Tanjong Rhu *Dunman High *Dewhurst *Marine Parade *Telok Kurau *Siglap *Bayshore *Bedok South *Bedok Junction *Changi East *Changi Airport *Expo *Tanah Merah Changi Branch Line to be converted into TEL by 2040. External links * Eastern Region Line References Category:Mass Rapid Transit (Singapore) lines Category:Proposed public transport in Singapore